To many people, she appeared the model employee. As the longtime finance director, she had gained the unconditional trust of the executive director and control of the purse strings. And that helped her carry out her most secret role in the organization: thief.
Embezzlement. Fraud. Misuse of funds. Mismanagement. Skimming. Stealing from the cookie jar. Call it what you want. It is a common crime few people talk about and even fewer believe can happen within their organization. It happened not only to AASLH, but a number of the Association’s member institutions have also fallen victim to this betrayal that can leave immense financial and emotional damage in its wake.
Do you know that nonprofits are second only to the banking and financial sectors in the occurrence of fraud? Think of all of the ways money can be embezzled from a museum, historic site or related institution: theft of cash from the museum store, donation box, petty cash fund, event ticket sales, etc.; credit card misuse; falsifying payroll; phony invoices; forged signature on checks and unauthorized or inappropriate purchases; secret endowment withdrawals; insurance fraud, and identity theft.
“Fraud at the Museum: Protecting Your Organization from a Devastating Event” is a webinar you do not want to miss. Board members, paid and unpaid staff are encouraged to join us on February 22 as guest speaker Kelly Paxton, a certified fraud examiner, discusses the ways fraud is most often committed and then discovered (hint: if you think your annual audit is protecting you, think again).
In this webinar you will learn about red flags and how to put practical safeguards in place that serve as an obstacle to embezzlement. You will learn what creates the perfect storm for fraud to occur and why Pink Collar Crime, a focus of Paxton’s work, is on the rise.
This may be the most important webinar you attend this year. Think embezzlement can’t happen to your organization? Think again.
For more on this topic, join us for Nightmare at the Museum week Feb 20-23, 2018.
